<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>She Loves Me Not by bagelistrying</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26105581">She Loves Me Not</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelistrying/pseuds/bagelistrying'>bagelistrying</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chaos, F/F, How do you write romance, Lesbians, Mild Blood, Revenge, The chapters are hella short, Trixic Character, a lesbian hitwoman, moral dilemmas yay, original short story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:09:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26105581</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelistrying/pseuds/bagelistrying</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Frustrated and broken by the death of their girlfriend, Wren Liston hires hitwoman Rae Morrison to track down the culprit. During her search, however, she encounters Talia. With more and more evidence pointing to her newfound lover and Wren growing impatient, Rae has to decide exactly how much Talia means to her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! I have been working on this piece for a while now, and I never intended for the first scene to be more that just that. But I kept going with it, and I think it turned out pretty nice. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Encounter</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren slowly entered the room, their palms sweaty as they closed the door behind them. A woman was waiting at the desk in the center of the room. “Rae Morrison?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman raised two fingers in greeting. “That’s me.” Pale fingers rapped on the desk, acrylic nails clicking on the wood. Around her wrist was a crimson hair tie that didn’t look as if it was often used. Dark blonde hair shimmered in loose curls over her shoulders, a few wavy strands dangling over daunting blue eyes. Her dark lips were masked by ruby lipstick that matched her nail polish. A thin necklace hung over her black blazer, a twinkling red button pinning back a white blouse. “I assume you’re Wren?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah.” Wren replied. “Wren Liston. Look, I- I need a favor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m good at those.” Rae replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I might need to give you a little backstory, but I’ll try not to waste your time.” They inhaled. “So, a while back, maybe a month ago, my girlfriend, Esme Hart, died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae, who had been leaning back in her chair, a leg crossed over the other, suddenly bit her lip. Sitting up straighter, she nodded for them to continue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, it was pretty bad, too. No warning, our fourth year anniversary, and it was a murder. Hit and run, no idea what for. I was distraught at first, and I still am, but just want to do something about it.” Wren curled their hands into fists at their sides. They had been staring at the ground, though when they spoke it wasn’t angry or even sad. Only numb. Rae has been listening closely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care what it costs me. I would never get involved in this kind of thing, but I want revenge. We all like revenge, right?” Wren tucked their hands into the pockets of their jeans. “I have the license plate and a possible name and address. I’m just going to say it outright. I want you to find the person and, well, make sure they don’t kill anybody else. Ever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae’s hands were folded on the table, her gaze drifting to the walls as she nodded vaguely. “What do you think?” Wren asked nervously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, sure. I normally charge around 100k per kill, 125 if I’m not in the mood, but...” she glanced down at her nails, inspecting the untouched red polish. “Considering the circumstances, I’d gladly do it for free.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren, who had been pacing in front of the desk, stopped and looked up. Rae was resting her chin on her hand, staring up at them expectantly. “You’re... joking, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Rae shook her head. “Look, we’ve all got our grudges. In this business, you see a lot, but can’t hold many yourself. But there’s a line you can’t cross. Then it’s not a grudge any more. It’s a duty.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Approach</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>At Wren’s request, Rae finds the address given to her, and meets Talia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Approach</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>Rae glanced from the address to the paper Wren had given her. The license plate of the white sedan outside matched as well. Checking that there was a magazine in her pistol, she shoved the gun into her pocket and walked up to the door. She doubted she would need it, as she just meant to stake out the place beforehand, but if an opportunity opened, it wasn’t her place to miss it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I help you?” A woman was leaning on the door handle, black denim overalls covering a striped navy blue shirt. Hazel eyes glinted from a round, pale face, red lipstick a similar shade to Rae’s. Her pose was relaxed and expression slightly mischievous, thin lips tugging at a half-grin. Strawberry blonde hair was pinned back messily into a high ponytail, light curls visible from over her shoulder. She swirled a brightly colored styrofoam cup in her right hand, and raised an eyebrow at the woman greeting her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rae completely lost her train of thought. “I...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello?” The woman frowned, confused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Sorry. Uh, did you lose these?” Desperate for a distraction, Rae dug her own keys out of her pocket and handed them to the woman, who set down her drink on the windowsill and inspected them closely, turning them over in her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope. They look like the ones from the apartments on Lido Street, though.” She pointed over Rae’s head to the next street over. “I have, personally, lost a spare set of my keys, though, so if you find them, that would be great.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only half paying attention, Rae nodded. “Sure, sound good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Talia, by the way. I hope you find the owner.” She nodded to the keys Rae hastily shoved back into her pocket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rae,” she replied. “And thanks.” She turned back to the street, walking as quickly as she could to her car, her heart still pounding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>**</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pacing the floor of her apartment, Rae jumped as the phone rang. She strode over to the bedside table and drew her hand away. The number gleaming from the small screen on the phone was Wren’s. She took a deep breath and picked it up. Wren’s worried but friendly voice rang back from the other end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rae! Hi, have you found them yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced down at the floor, clutching the phone tight. Her nails were beginning to dig into her palms around the receiver. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rae?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry. Not yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Wren sounded disappointed. “Okay, well, that’s all I wanted to know. Good luck finding them. Call me tomorrow if anything happens...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will.” Rae replied. Then she hung up, the receiver clicking through her empty apartment.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Return</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae shut the door to her apartment behind her, sighing as she was reminded of the mess she had made the night before. She usually kept her work at the office, but this was personal. She scanned the desk for the hundredth time, her gaze drifting over the various pictures of license plates, files on the apartment complex, more than one calendar, and countless frustrated notes she had scribbled with the red pen near the edge of the desk. <br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lying on top of all the papers was a set of keys, a very familiar number engraved into the top. They were Talia’s. It would be so easy to just return them to her as an excuse to see her again, ditch the case, and forget about Wren. But she had accepted the investigation, and if she left it, it would be the first she ever didn’t solve. Not only would that raise a lot of questions, but the rest of the files held too much information. There was an overwhelming amount of evidence about the accident and it all pointed to Talia. Every angle she looked at it from, it was the same. The murder was sloppy, but Talia was just lucky enough to have killed Esme Hart on the outskirts of town, where there were more accidents and less witnesses. No matter how brutal the incident, stories so far from downtown were very rarely front page news. Her eyes focused back on the keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.” She muttered to herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed them off the table and, swinging them on her ring finger, she turned for the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi! I found your keys!” She held them out politely as Talia took them and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you!” She set them on the hall stand just inside the door and swung her hand by her side shyly. “Um...it’s actually pretty lucky you should stop by, because I have something for you. I was going to drop it off, but as soon as I turned the car on I realized I didn’t know your address.” Talia disappeared around the corner and returned with a small wicker basket of crisp apples.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think they’re pacific rose apples, but I never checked.” Talia said, handing it to Rae.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you! I didn’t know you had a garden, do you use it often?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s taken me a few tries to get it right and keep everything alive, but I do!” Talia, clearly happy to have someone to talk to, went on to discuss anything she felt like, leaning on the door frame casually. The sun had sunken further in the sky, velvet swirls spreading out towards the harlequin sunset. Rae, who had been talking just as passionately, glanced at the basket by her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Real quick, I have a question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Talia responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you arrange this in the first place? Don’t get me wrong, I’m super happy, but I hardly know you...” Rae trailed off, realizing she already knew the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Well, no reason, I just figured they would go moldy if I left them to fall, and I... didn’t know if I would be able to use them all myself. I guess it worked out as a thank you gift, since you found my keys.” She stuttered slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae tried to bite back her smile. “Well, I really appreciate it. If you ever need me, I live at apartment 17 on Lido. I’ll see you around, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Talia nodded. As she shut the door, Rae could have sworn she saw her blush, but turned back to her car nevertheless, clutching the basket to her chest. She was putting the basket on the passenger seat when she realized something. Of all the murderers she had encountered, Talia stood out. Usually they were either hostile towards her or scarily polite, but she had never met a suspect so... normal. Maybe she just wanted to believe Talia was innocent so that she wouldn’t have to deal with the situation at all. She checked her watch. She had talked to her for far longer than she had planned. Innocent or not, she had to get back and tell Wren she hadn’t gotten anywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren clearly had been expecting a call, because they picked it up before even the first ring. “Rae!” Their voice was anxious as usual. “Anybody yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still looking for leads. If you don’t mind me asking, do you know if anyone was jealous of you or Esme at the time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that I know of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Rae sighed. “Okay. Are you new to the state, the city, even just your neighborhood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, the last time I moved was when I was four, and that was only two towns over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about the incident itself? Were there any other possible witnesses?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If there were, the story wouldn’t have been documented as one person making a mistake and causing their own death.” Wren’s voice grew bitter, so Rae quickly moved on to the next question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and one more thing. If I were, hypothetically, to find this person, should I just kill them, or...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me. I want to be there to see it. I want them to know what they did and have them suffer before they die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae pressed the receiver to her chest, pressing her eyes shut for a moment. Now faking Talia’s death wasn’t an option. She should have never asked. Pulling the phone back to her ear, she replied, “Alright.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Sunflowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Sunflowers</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae turned onto the highway, spinning the steering wheel with one hand, the other behind her head as she reclined in her seat. It had been just over a week since Rae had returned the keys, but it felt like they had known each other their whole lives. Talia was bopping in the passenger seat to the music, passionately singing the lyrics she knew and humming the rest. Rae, her window rolled down, let the wind whip at her hair as she tried to keep her eyes on the road, following the white lines that ran past the horizon and out of sight. Every few minutes, Talia would remember a song she liked and set it up to play next, unafraid of blasting it at full volume. License plates and wing mirrors glinted as she passed more cars, but she and Talia didn’t stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The car sputtered to a halt by the side of the road, the worn tires struggling to grip the loose dirt. The sunflower fields waiting stretched out of sight, evening light glowing through the ocean of golden petals and velvet leaves. Chasing Talia to the center of the field, Rae grinned at the ground. For the first time in a while, she felt like she had all the time in the world. The flowers brushed her shoulder as she ran by, wind tossing petals by her as Talia broke away onto a gap in the crops. “I told you there was a bench here!” She pointed triumphantly at a small bench with faded blue paint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I stand corrected.” Rae smiled. Sitting down beside Talia, she opened the bag she had been carrying on her lap and handed her a muffin from inside. Staring out at the sunset and watching the flowers sink to the horizon, they talked for hours, calling out to the empty fields and drawing patterns in the dirt below them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the sun faded, a few minutes of silence passed and Rae felt Talia’s head rested on her shoulder, a few strands of silky hair over the back of the bench. She glanced down to see her eyes closed and breathing slow. She had fallen asleep, half eaten muffin still in her hand. Rae smiled, leaning her head against the back of the bench and staring at the sky. She wanted to stay here, with Talia and a thousand sunflowers, forever.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That was a pretty short chapter, but I’m trying to break it up reasonably, especially cause there’s a really long one coming up.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Confession</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The credits rolled slowly across the screen, the music fading. Rae stretched an elbow above her head. “That was pretty good, actually,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Talia, sitting beside her on the couch, smiled. “Yeah, with a name like that, I would have expected it to be terrible, but I guess I was wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a silence. Talia had seemed slightly tense recently, and Rae had her suspicions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have something to tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae looked up. She had been staring at the floor the entire time, trying to keep up with the thoughts racing through her mind. When she finally untangled them, she already knew what Talia was about to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that story on the news about the car accident on Saigon Street?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae nodded slowly, trying to act natural.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t one car. There was another one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up. “This is critical information, Talia! We need to get this to the police so that person can-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was mine.” Rae stopped, biting her lip. “Please don’t tell anyone! I was really scared and I couldn’t face it- I don’t know how nobody has tracked me down yet, but I won’t be able to take it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see. Um...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Talia begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat back down on the couch, running her tongue along her teeth. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into. She was supposed to shoot Talia the moment she opened the door three weeks ago, not fall in love with her. She now had two promises set up, and they directly contradicted each other. One for her career, and the other for love. She nodded slowly. “Promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Talia’s shoulder relaxed. “Thank you. I’m so, so sorry. I wanted to do something about it, but I was scared. I haven’t told anybody but you. I feel like such an awful person, like I shouldn’t even be allowed to still be alive, but I don’t want to leave everything behind.” Her expression pained, her hands clutched each other nervously at her waist. “Do you forgive me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae stood back up from the couch and nodded.” Talia stepped forward and hugged her, biting back tears as they held each other. Rae shut her eyes. Now, more than ever, she wanted to forget about the case. She began the investigation thinking she could dish out justice to some random and arrogant murderer, but Talia didn’t deserve it. She didn’t deserve the accident, the stress of being guilty, and certainly not being tracked down by the organization.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t fair.” Talia choked from over her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Rae replied softly. She felt like she needed to say something else, but the words got caught in her throat. So she just held her tighter, and said nothing.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Wren held the phone to their ear, leaning on the side of the table as the muffled ringing repeated. “Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rae, hi.” She clearly was unsettled by Wren’s tone. The shyness and fear were gone, and their words were low and cold. “What have you found so far?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae sighed. “I’m- I’m trying. It’s getting difficult, though. I’ve investigated several suspects, but they’re all dead ends. Most have never been out to the farms, or could never have access to the car from the incident.” Rae paused uneasily, the tapping of nails on a table audible in the silence. Wren waited for her to continue, staring at the floor. “I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but... I- I might have to give up on the case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren’s nails dug into their palms. They ran a hand through their hair as they replied softly, “Why is it now? Once it’s my problem, the top hitwoman in the state can’t do anything about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, please, it’s not like that. None of this was your fault, it’s mine. But I really can’t just go around killing people-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What...?” Rae stuttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard me. If I don’t see someone dead soon, I’ll find them myself. And I won’t hold back like you. What are you going to do about it? Clearly you’re too scared to kill anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren! Don’t! I’m not scared, I just haven’t found anyone! This investigation was supposed to be-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They set down the phone, but didn’t move. They had known something was wrong and still couldn’t put their finger on it, but now they had a new piece of information.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae was good at lying.</span>
</p><p>***</p><p>Wren glanced down at their phone. Eight missed calls from Rae. Tightening their grip on the steering wheel, they kept their eyes on the road. It had been two days, and she clearly wasn’t letting it go. Still, they didn’t regret what they said. Maybe this was how it was meant to be. They were never supposed to hire someone else, or avoid the problem. The weight was on their shoulders, it only made sense that they had to fix it. They had been hesitating since the call, wondering where to start.</p><p>They stopped the car at the crosswalk. Across from them was a car they had passed a couple times before. Most of the time it was in the driveway, but today it was out on the street, and another car had replaced its usual spot. However, that wasn’t the issue. The license plate was barely visible in the afternoon glare, but as they turned their head, they could make out the numbers and letters across the front. Shielding their face with one hand, they bit the inside of their cheek. They recognized it.</p><p>
  <span>Shoving the steering wheel to the side, they parked across the road, throwing off their seatbelt. Not even bothering to lock the car, Wren strode across the street and up the driveway. Head spinning too much to knock, they felt the handle turn on the inside of the unlocked door.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Defeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the final chapter of She Loves Me Not, Wren discovers Rae and Talia together. Still numb with pain and shock, they give Rae a choice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A woman stood just inside the door, pulling out of an embrace with another figure just shorter than her in a denim skirt and knee high socks. Rae’s head snapped to the door, her expression frozen like a deer in headlights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren!” She reached for her necklace, shifting it back into place over her blouse as she stuttered for an explanation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All this time...?” They asked quietly. “You were...” They sighed. “I know you can’t bring Esme back. I know I shouldn’t have to care who you love. But we made a deal. You were supposed to be the professional one, and I didn’t want to play the damsel in distress, but it was the least I could do. And now... you don’t seem to be ‘still working on’ your side of the deal.” She gestured feebly to Talia, who kept glancing at the door, trying to figure out how somebody had gotten inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wren, I’m sorry.” Rae pleaded. “Isn’t this the kind of thing you should understand?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t this the kind of this you should be honest about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do we even know she’s the one who did it?” Rae threw her thumb over her shoulder as Talia took a step back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the one who’s supposed to know that!” Wren had raised their voice, their hands shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well how about you find a better way to save your girlfriend’s memory, instead of resorting to murder?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rae!” Wren exclaimed. “You’re the one who kills people for a living!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe... maybe I’ve got things to learn too. Perhaps I’m not perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We made a deal. You said it was your duty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t kill her!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She has blood on her hands!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do I!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you admit it. She is killer!” Rae pressed her fingers over her eyes, smudging  her eyeliner down her cheeks as she looked back up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve killed dozens of people. I had given up on feeling things until now, because it was better for business. I gave my soul away for money and that’s in no way honorable. Yet I still think I understand this situation better than you. I may be a monster, but it’s not for loving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care what you are. She’s a murderer and needs justice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Talia, who had been standing with her back pressed to the couch, suddenly spoke up, her voice trembling. “Can someone tell me what’s going on? You knew about the incident and came here to kill me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae turned around, her jaw set. “Talia, I was never meant to love you. Do you think love just shows up at your front door? No. You meet it at a bar or online, something pathetic like that.” She spat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it’s justice you want, I’ll go to jail, pay fines, whatev-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Wren interrupted. “We’re not getting the police involved. This has gone too far, and we’re settling it ourselves.” Their stone gaze sent Talia further into the shadows as she tried to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was an accident!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care!” Wren shouted over her. They exhaled. “I don’t have time for this. Rae, she knows your identity now. Sure, if you’re really close, she might not tell anyone. It won’t matter, though. Because I’ve got all the information I need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t do this! I... I was sympathetic with you, said I’d do this for free!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wren shrugged. “And you betrayed me.” She reached into her pocket and drew out a pistol. “The choice is yours.” Rae’s eyes darted between the gun and Talia, who sank to her knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is wrong with you? I couldn’t complete a mission and now you want to get me arrested for trying to help you? Do you know what should happen? I’m supposed to learn something about myself, and you find a different way to deal with your grief. Talia and I stay away from crime, and you can-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not justice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what is?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice is avenging Esme. Justice is her death, and you get what you deserve for being a traitor!” Still refusing to call Talia by name, Wren pointed accusingly as the figure tearing up behind the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why aren’t you shooting her yourself? If she’s the one who killed Esme, then shouldn’t it be your hand that gets revenge?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You took advantage of me, used my tears to find love without deserving it. I want to see you suffer. Do you know why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae didn’t reply. Wren’s face was twisted with cold fury. “Because you have hurt me just as much as she has.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae reached for the gun. Talia’s voice rang through the hall, any previous calmness replaced with desperation.“You- you can’t do this... I thought you loved me- we could live together, far away, alone...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard Wren laugh coldly from behind her. “That might be hard when Rae loses her job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Rae yelled, her palm sweaty on the grip panel. “I’m trying to think!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better be quick,” they replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae slowly lifted the gun to Talia, her finger on the trigger. Biting her bottom lip, she swung it back to her side. “I can’t do it! Wren, I’m sorry! I-“ she paused, taking in a rattling breath through her tears. “I thought I could love again. I thought maybe I could feel something for once, and I’m sorry it has to be in this way, but I just want to love her!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sorry it has to be this way.” Wren replied. “Because liars don’t deserve to love, and neither do you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae’s face sank into a blank expression. She held up the gun again. Talia’s voice was choked by tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rae! Please!” The gunshot split the air, cracking as it rang through the house over a scream cut short. Talia’s hair fell over the bullet wound that glittered in her chest as it slowly wept red, soaking into her thin shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae turned back to Wren, the gun still smoking as it fell to her side. The streaks of makeup on her face glistened with tears, her hair tangled from being torn at with stress. “How does it feel?” Rae spoke softly. “To become the very thing you swore to destroy? Do you feel satisfied? Do you think Esme is looking down on you and smiling? Because Talia isn’t.” Rae handed Wren their gun and turned a shoulder to them. She strode past, straightening her blazer and shoving open the door. It slammed behind her, leaving Wren alone, with a smoking gun and empty house.</span>
</p><p>
  <strong>Epilogue</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Rae set the stack of files on the table in front of her. The man across from her pulled the top one toward him, his eyes darting across the tightly packed lines. “What? Miss Morrison, do you understand what you’re doing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do.” She replied, her hands in her blazer pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Why?” He stuttered, flipping to the back of the page. “You can’t just give up completely for one case. We can do something about this, can’t we. You’ve never even rejected a case, why do you suddenly want to leave the organization entirely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With all due respect, aren’t these private investigations? Surely I have the right to resign without being forced to give excessive confidential information.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I... suppose?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful.” She nodded. “I’ll be leaving, then. Everything is packed already. Call me if I messed up the paperwork.” She turned on her heel and strode out, her head held high as she slammed the door behind her.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That was She Loves Me Not! I very rarely write romance, so this was quite the leap for me, but I really liked the characters and wanted more than just one scene with them. I hope you enjoyed it too!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>